The present invention is directed to a system for mounting an object (such as a shelf) to a support (such as a wall); and more particularly, to such a mounting system that allows the object to be mounted to the support, by hand, without necessitating the use of any tools, such as hammers, screwdrivers, drills, etc.
The system of the present invention utilizes an improved push-pin that is adapted to be pushed or screwed into a support (such as a wall), without necessitating the use of hammers, screwdrivers, drills, etc. The improved push-pin includes a novel head that includes resilient projections or xe2x80x9cgrippersxe2x80x9d for providing a friction fit within a hole or channel of the object (such as a shelf) to be mounted to the support. In an exemplary embodiment, the grippers are a plurality of resilient annular rings sized to be slightly larger in diameter than the dimension of the mating hole or channel so that when the mating hole or channel of the object engages with the larger diameter rings, the rings are deformed slightly upon entering the hole or channel, thereby, providing a friction fit between the head of the pin and the object to be mounted to the support.
Preferably, the resilient xe2x80x9cgripperxe2x80x9d head of the push-pin is injection molded over the threaded shaft to provide a singular device, where the xe2x80x9cgripperxe2x80x9d head and push pin are fixedly coupled together. The push-pin of the present invention, therefore, combines the substantially permanent mounting capabilities of a screw or nail with the removable friction-fit mounting capabilities of the xe2x80x9cgripperxe2x80x9d head in such a singular device.
In addition, the resilient material of the xe2x80x9cgripperxe2x80x9d head combined with its ergonomic shape uniquely enables the push-pin of the present invention to be mounted to the vertical support (wall) by hand, without the use of tools. The ergonomic shape includes an indentation between the annular xe2x80x9cgripperxe2x80x9d rings and the shaft, allowing a user to comfortably and securely grip the xe2x80x9cgripperxe2x80x9d head by placing his or her thumb and index finger in the indentation. The grip also facilitates increased stability while the push-pin is being thrust into the support.
Of course, while the exemplary embodiment of the push pin has a substantially cylindrical head, it is within the scope of the invention that the head of the push pin could have an alternate shape, such as a rectangular shape. With this alternative shape, gripper projections will extend from the upper and lower vertical surfaces of the head to engage with the upper and lower walls of the mating hole or channel of the object.
It is thereby an aspect of the invention to provide a system for mounting an object to a support that comprises: (a) an object having a substantially flat surface and a hole or a channel extending into the substantially flat surface, where the hole or channel has upper and lower inner surfaces and a vertical distance between the upper and lower surfaces; and (b) at least one fastener. The fastener includes: (1) a head having a resilient projection extending therefrom, where the projection provides the head with a vertical width that is slightly greater than the vertical distance between the upper and lower vertical surfaces of the hole or channel extending into the substantially flat surface of the object, and (2) a shaft rigidly affixed to, and extending from the head, which is adapted to penetrate the support and securely attach the head to the support. Therefore, the object is mounted to the support by driving the shaft of the fastener into the support, so that the head is securely attached to the support, and by pressing the hole or channel extending into the substantially flat surface of the object against the exposed head of the fastener so that the resilient projection deforms to allow the head to pass into the hole or channel, providing a friction fit between the head and the hole or channel.
The shaft is preferably pointed and threaded so that the fastener can be either pushed or screwed by hand into the support by a user, preferably using his or her thumb and index finger. In one embodiment, the projection is an annular projection and the head includes a plurality of the annular projections distributed axially therealong. In another embodiment, the head includes at least two projections, a first one of the projections extending vertically upwardly and the second one of the projections extending vertically downwardly, providing a projection pair, where the head includes a plurality of the projection pairs distributed axially therealong.
It is also preferred that the system includes a plurality of the fasteners and the object includes a channel that is at least partially horizontal, extending into the substantially flat surface of the object, where the plurality of fasteners are adapted to be distributed along the channel.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a fastener for mounting an object (such as a shelf) to a support (such as a wall) that comprises a head rigidly affixed to a shaft, where the head includes a resilient projection extending therefrom. Preferably, the shaft is metal, pointed and threaded so that it can be driven into the support by a user applying pressure to the head by using his or her thumb and index finger. In a preferred embodiment of the fastener, the projection is an annular projection and the head includes a plurality of the annular projections distributed axially therealong. In another embodiment, the head includes at least two projections, first one of the projections extending vertically upwardly and the second one of the projections extending vertically downwardly, providing a projection pair, where the head includes a plurality of the projection pairs distributed axially along the head.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a method for mounting an object (such as a shelf) to a support (such as a wall) that comprises the steps of: (a) providing a hole or a channel in a substantially flat surface of the object; (b) providing at least one fastener including a head affixed onto a longitudinal end of a narrow shaft, where the head includes a resilient projection extending therefrom, and where the projection provides the head with a vertical width that is slightly greater than the vertical distance between the upper and lower vertical surfaces of the hole or channel extending into the substantially flat surface of the object; (c) securely attaching the head to a support by penetrating the shaft into the support; and (d) pressing the hole or channel extending into the substantially flat surface of the object against the head of the fastener so that the resilient projection deforms to allow the head to pass into the hole or channel, providing a friction fit between the head and the hole or channel. In one embodiment, the shaft is a threaded shaft and the penetrating step includes a step of turning the threaded shaft.
In another embodiment of the above method, the object is provided with a channel in its substantially flat surface, where the channel is at least partially horizontal. In this embodiment, the method includes the steps of: (i) providing a plurality of the fasteners; (ii) securely attaching the heads of the fasteners to the support; and (iii) pressing the channel extending into the substantially flat surface of the object against the plurality of heads of the fasteners so that their resilient projections deform, allowing the heads to pass into the channel and providing a friction fit between the plurality of heads and the channel.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for mounting an object (such as a shelf) to a support (such as a wall) that does not require the use of tools, such as hammers, screwdrivers, drills, etc. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved push pin having a novel head which is adapted to mate with and provide an interference fit with a hole or channel extending into an object that is to be hung from or mounted to the push pin. Despite the above-stated objects and advantages of the present invention, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any or all of the stated advantages or objects of the present invention disclosed herein in order to fall within the scope of any claims, since the invention is defined by the claims and since inherent and/or unforseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not be explicitly discussed herein.